Raspberry plant named ‘Jeanne D&#39;Orleans’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of  Rubus idaeus  L. plant, distinguished by greater fruit size, longer shelf life and fruit quality. The candidate variety also has high Soluble Solids (SS) content and high total of Hydrophobic and Crude antioxidant activities.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Rubus idaeus L.

Variety denomination: ‘Jeanne d'Orléans’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of raspberry named ‘Jeanne d'Orléans’. The parents of the new and distinct cultivar of the present invention are ‘Chilliwack’ (unpatented) and ‘Meeker’ (unpatented).

The instant plant, ‘Jeanne d'Orléans’, originated from a cross between ‘Chilliwack’ and ‘Meeker’, made in 1994 at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, research centre in Quebec. The new cultivar has been found to undergo asexual propagation at L'Acadie, Quebec, Canada by in vitro tissue culture.

Asexual reproduction of this new variety shows that the foregoing and other characteristics come true to form, are firmly fixed, and are established and transmitted through succeeding asexual propagations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The ‘Jeanne d'Orléans’ variety may be distinguished from other raspberry varieties due to the following combination of characteristics: greater fruit size, longer shelf life and fruit quality. The candidate variety also has high Soluble Solids (SS) content and high total of Hydrophobic and Crude antioxidant activities.

The cross was made in 1994 at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, research centre in Quebec. Several characteristics including winter hardiness, yield, fruit size and shelf life have been closely monitored since 1995.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The ‘Jeanne d'Orléans’ raspberry is illustrated by the accompanying color photographs, taken when the plants were three years old, in which:

FIG. 1 shows ‘Jeanne d'Orléans’ fruit;

FIG. 2 shows the upper surface of a leaf of ‘Jeanne d'Orléans’;

FIG. 3 shows a ‘Jeanne d'Orléans’ plant;

FIG. 4 shows a ‘Jeanne d'Orléans’ plant in spring; and

FIG. 5 shows a ‘Jeanne d'Orléans’ stem with spines.

The colors of an illustration of this type may vary with lighting and other conditions and therefore, color characteristics of this new variety should be determined with reference to the observations described herein, rather than from these illustrations alone.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The original variety and progeny have been observed growing in a cultivated area in Québec, Canada. Certain characteristics of this variety, such as growth and color, may change with changing environmental conditions (e.g., light, temperature, moisture, nutrient availability, or other factors). Color descriptions and other terminology are used in accordance with their ordinary dictionary descriptions, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Color designations are made with reference to The Royal Horticultural Society (R.H.S.) Colour Chart. All color characteristics were determined using the 1986 version of the Royal Horticultural Society (R.H.S.) Colour charts and measured characteristics were based on ten plan measurements. It should be understood that the colors may vary, depending on factors such as growing and lighting conditions.

-   Scientific Name: Rubus idaeus L. ‘Jeanne d'Orléans’. -   Parentage: ‘Meeker’ is the seed/female parent. ‘Chilliwack’ is the     pollen/male parent. -   Plant characteristics:     -   -   Main fruit bearing type.—Only on previous year's cane in             summer.         -   Habit.—Semi-upright.         -   Number of current season's canes observed at the beginning             of the second year.—Few. -   Young shoot characteristics: (observed when shoots are 15 cm long).     -   -   Very young shoots.—Anthocyanin coloration of apex during             rapid growth: absent. -   Cane characteristics: (observed when the cane is about 1 meter to     1.5 meter long).     -   -   Time of vegetative bud burst.—Late.         -   Current season canes.—Glaucosity: weak to medium.             Anthocyanin coloration: weak. Length of internode: medium.             Length of vegetative bud: short.         -   Dormant cane length.—Mean: 113 cm. Range: 64-158 cm.             Standard deviation: 34 cm. Number measured: 18.         -   Dormant cane color.—Greyish orange-brown (R.H.S. 199C).         -   Spines.—Density: sparse to medium; spares in central third             of 1 year old canes. Size at base: medium. Spine length:             medium to long. Spine color: purple (RHS 77A). -   Leaf characteristics: (observed filly developed leaves from middle     third of the cane).     -   -   Yellow-Green color of upper side.—RHS 144A.         -   Predominant number of leaflets.—Equally three and five.         -   Relief between the veins (rugosity).—Strong to very strong.         -   Relative position of lateral leaflets.—Slightly overlapping.         -   Terminal leaflet length.—Mean: 20.9 cm. Range: 17.4-23.7 cm.             Standard deviation: 1.7 cm. Number measured: 10.         -   Terminal leaflet width.—Mean: 19.3 cm. Range: 17.1-21.0 cm.             Standard deviation: 1.3 cm. Number measured: 10. -   Flower characteristics:     -   -   Time of beginning of flowering on previous year's cane (10%             of flowers have opened).—Very late.         -   Pedicel number of spines.—Few to medium.         -   Peduncle.—Anthocyanin coloration: present. Intensity of             anthocyanin coloration: strong to very strong. -   Fruit characteristics: Time of beginning of fruit ripening on     previous year's cane — when the fruit is most easily removed from     the plug: late     -   -   Fruiting lateral.—Attitude: erect to semi erect. Length:             long.         -   Fruit.—Length: long. Width: broad. Length/width ratio:             longer than broad. General shape lateral view: broad conical             to conical. Size of single drupe: large. Fruit color: dark             red (RHS 53A). Fruit glossiness: weak. Fruit firmness: firm.             Adherence to plug: weak to medium.         -   Chilling requirement.—About 900 hours.

Raspberries of ‘Jeanne d'Orléans’ were compared to ‘Boyne’ and ‘Killarney’ raspberry varieties, referred to herein as the “reference varieties.” ‘Jeanne d'Orléans’ can be readily distinguished from ‘Boyne’ and ‘Killarney’ by the characteristics listed in Table 1. ‘Jeanne d'Orléans’ shape is long and conic where as the reference variety's shape is globose. ‘Jeane d'Orléans’ fruit size is very large compared to ‘Boyne’ and ‘Killarney’. ‘Jeanne d'Orléans’ glossiness is weak compared to the reference varieties. The shelf life of ‘Jeanne d'Orléans’ is significant longer compared to ‘Boyne’ and ‘Killarney’. Soluble Solids and Antioxidants are significant higher compared to the reference varieties.

TABLE I : Comparison of Physical Characteristics of ‘Jeanne d'Orléans’ to Reference Varieties ‘Killarney’ and ‘Boyne’.

‘Jeanne d'Orléans’ ‘Killarney’ ‘Boyne’ Shape of Fruit long conic globose globose Size of Fruit very large small to small medium Shelf life significant longer than reference varieties Glossiness weak Strong medium Soluble Solids Significant higher than reference varieties Antioxidant Significant higher than reference Varieties Number of current few medium-many many season canes Anthocyanin absent Present present coloration of apex of very young shoots during rapid growth Intensity of absent or weak weak-medium weak Anthocyanin coloration of apex of very young shoots during rapid growth Time of vegetative bud late Early early burst Current season's cane weak-medium — medium glaucosity Current season's cane weak — medium anthocyanin coloration (when present) (when present) Current season's cane medium Short medium length of internode Dormant cane length: Mean: 113 cm 110 cm 106 cm Range: 64-158 cm 62-162 cm 60-158 cm Standard deviation: 34 cm 27 cm 33 cm Dormant cane color: brown Greyed-orange Greyed-orange (RHS 199C) (RHS 166A) (RHS Spine density sparse-medium dense dense Spine length medium-long — medium Spine color Purple Purple Purple (RHS 77A) (RHS 77A) (RHS 77A) Green color of upper Yellow- Green (RHS Green (RHS side of leaf Green 137A) 137A) (RHS 144A) Predominant number equally three usually three equally three of leaflets and five and five Relief between the strong-very very strong medium-strong veins of leaf strong Relative position of overlaps with overlaps with overlaps with lateral leaflets terminal leaflet terminal leaflet terminal leaflet Terminal leaflet length: Mean: 20.9 cm 20.6 cm 21.5 Range 17.4-23.7 cm 17.4-23.7 cm 19.1-25.3 cm Standard deviation 1.7 cm 2 cm 1.8 cm Terminal leaflet width: Mean: 19.3 cm 18.82 cm 19.8 cm Range: 17.1-21.0 cm 17.3-21.2 cm 17.7-24.8 cm Standard deviation: 1.3 cm 2.1 cm 2.3 cm Time of beginning of very late very early very early flowering on previous year's cane Pedicel number of few-medium many many spines Intensity of strong-very medium-very very strong anthocyanin coloration strong strong of peduncle Time of beginning of late medium early fruit ripening on previous year's cane Fruiting lateral length long medium medium Fruit length: long medium medium Fruit width: broad medium medium Fruit length/width longer than slightly broader as long as ratio: broad than long broad General shape of fruit broad conical- circular circular-broad in lateral view conical conical Size of single drupe of large medium medium fruit Fruit color dark red medium red dark red (RHS 53A) (RHS 46A) (RHS 53A) Adherence of fruit to weak-medium weak very weak- plug weak 

1. A new and distinct variety of raspberry plant, substantially as shown and described herein. 